Testicular Cancer: Frequently Asked Questions
How is testicular cancer treated?
Testicular cancer can be treated by surgery, by radiotherapy or by chemotherapy. In some cases these treatments are combined. The most straightforward and safest way of dealing with a cancerous lump is to remove the testicle.
Source: www.icr.ac.uk
The exact treatment used will depend on the type of testicular cancer and how advanced it is. An operation to remove the affected testicle is normal in all cases. The loss of one testicle does not affect a man's ability to have an erection or father children and an artificial testicle can be put in the scrotum to restore a normal appearance. If the cancer has gone beyond the testicle, radiotherapy or chemotherapy are also used. Radiotherapy is more effective for seminomas. ...
Source: salong.blogspot.com
How is testicular cancer diagnosed?
Testicular cancer can be diagnosed through regular self-checking of the normal size and shape of your testicles. When these have altered in some way, it is important to consult with your doctor. Please note that most lumps are benign (non-cancerous) and no operation is necessary.
Source: www.icr.ac.uk
First, your family doctor will check your testicles and, if there is any cause for concern, he will refer you to a specialist. An ultrasound scan of the testicles is used to check for any growths. If any are found, an operation is performed to take a tissue sample from the lump. This is examined by a pathologist, to determine if the lump is cancerous or not. Blood test will also be done to check the levels of HCG (human chorionic gonadotrophin) and AFP (alpha fetoprotein), which indicate how advanced the cancer is.
Source: salong.blogspot.com
How common is testicular cancer?
Testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer in young men, mostly between the ages of 20 and 35, although it can develop in boys as young as 15. Incidence has almost doubled in the last twenty years, with about 2,000 cases a year in the UK.
Source: www.icr.ac.uk
In 2000 (the last year for which figures are available) there were 2,000 new cases of testicular cancer diagnosed in the UK. In the USA, it is estimated that there will be 9,000 new cases diagnosed in 2004. This means it is between 1% and 2% of all cancers in men. The number of cases has been slowly increasing for some time.
Source: salong.blogspot.com
Testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer in young men, mostly between the ages of 15 and 44. Since 1975, the incidence of testicular cacer has more than doubled. There are nearly 2,000 new cases a year in the UK.
Source: everyman-campaign.org
What are the chances of testicular cancer?
Men get testicular cancer very rarely. It accounts for only 1% of all cancers suffered by men.
Source: www.myswingers.com
Who treats testicular cancer?
Testicular cancer is combinely treated by an urologist and an oncologist
Source: www.medindia.net
What are the symptoms of testicular cancer?
The most common symptom of testicular cancer is a painless swelling or lump in one of the testicles. Other, less common, symptoms include enlargement of a testicle, a pain in one testicle and an ache in the lower stomach.
Source: salong.blogspot.com
Men with early testicular cancer may or may not notice symptoms. Symptoms of testicular cancer include: A lump on a testicle. The lump may be painless but uncomfortable. Enlargement of a testicle. Feeling of heaviness or aching in the scrotum or lower abdomen. Rarely, men may have swelling in the breasts Pain in the lower back may be a symptom of later-stage testicular cancer If the cancer has spread to the lungs, men may experience shortness of breath, pain in the chest, and a cough In rare cases, men may have no symptoms but may be infertile. ...
Is there screening for testicular cancer?
Men can screen themselves by feeling for lumps in their testicles. Men between 25 and 45 should do this every few months. If a lump is found on one testicle, check the other one to see if the same lump is present. If there are similar lumps on both, then it is almost certainly a normal part of the testicles. If the lump is only on one testicle, you should consult your doctor.
Source: salong.blogspot.com
What are the chances of getting testicular cancer?
The American Cancer Society says that a man's lifetime chance of getting testicular cancer is 1 in 300. However, due to successful treatment, the risk of dying is very low, about 1 in 5,000. It is one of the most curable cancers with nearly 140,000 survivors in the U.S. Therefore, the importance of screening cannot be overestimated.
Source: www.susqu.edu
What are the risk factors for testicular cancer?
According to the Centers for Disease Control, risk factors include family history, a compromised immune system, having an undescended testicle and sustaining an injury to the testicle. Youth, too, is a risk factor; testicular cancer is the most common male cancer in the 15 to 34 age group. For more information, visit http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/CRI_2_1x.asp?dt=41 .
Source: www.susqu.edu
Unlike most cancers, testicular cancer does not get more common as you get older. Most cases occur in men aged between 25 and 45, with very few cases in men over 75. This type of cancer is most common in white Caucasian males. Men of other races have a much lower incidence, even when living in the same county. The only exception to this is the New Zealand Maoris, who have a high rate of testicular cancer. ...
Source: salong.blogspot.com
The exact causes of testicular cancer are not known. However, studies have shown that several factors increase a man’s chance of developing this disease. Undescended testicle (cryptorchidism): Normally, the testicles descend from inside the abdomen into the scrotum before birth. The risk of testicular cancer is increased in males with a testicle that does not move down into the scrotum. This risk does not change even after surgery to move the testicle into the scrotum. The increased risk applies to both testicles. ...
Source: www.american-cancer-center.org
What is testicular cancer?
Testicular cancer is cancer that starts in the testicles. The testicles are two male reproductive organs that hang below the penis in a sac called the scrotum. In adult males, each testicle is usually slightly smaller than a golf ball. The testicles make several hormones, mainly testosterone. They also make reproductive cells called sperm. There are different kinds of cells in each testicle, each of which can grow into one or more types of cancer. ...
Testicular cancer is a disease that occurs when abnormal cells in the testicles (testes) begin to grow in an uncontrolled manner. The testes are the two male sex organs that produce and store sperm . The testes also produce testosterone , a male hormone. They are located in a pouch below the penis called the scrotum . Testicular cancer is most common among white males and is considered uncommon in men of African and Asian descent. ...
Source: www.svcmc.org
How is testicular cancer detected? What are symptoms of testicular cancer?
Most testicular cancers are found by men themselves. Also, doctors generally examine the testicles during routine physical exams. Between regular checkups, if a man notices anything unusual about his testicles, he should talk with his doctor. Men should see a doctor if they notice any of the following symptoms: a painless lump or swelling in a testicle pain or discomfort in a testicle or in the scrotum any enlargement of a testicle or change in the way it feels a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum a dull ache in the lower abdomen, back, or groin a sudden collection ...
Source: www.american-cancer-center.org
Is testicular cancer very common?
Testicular cancers make up for 1-2% of all the cancers in men. Of late, the frequency of occurrence has been on the rise.
Source: www.medindia.net
Does testicular cancer run in families?
Research has found that an increased risk of testicular cancer can run in families. If you have a brother with testicular cancer, you are between 6 and 10 times more likely to get it than normal. If your father had it, you are 3 or 4 times more likely than normal to also suffer from it.
Source: salong.blogspot.com
Are there different types of testicular cancer?
The vast majority of testicular tumours are called germ-cell tumours. There are two main types of germ cell tumour: seminomas and teratomas. Younger patients are more likely to have seminomas and older patients to have teratomas.
Source: salong.blogspot.com
What are the treatments for testicular cancer?
Treatment for testicular cancer is either local or systemic. Local treatments remove, destroy, or control the cancer cells in one certain area. Surgery and radiation are local treatments. Systemic treatments are used to destroy or control cancer cells throughout the entire body. Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment. A man may have just one treatment or a combination of treatments. Surgery: The goal of surgery is to remove the tumor. This is called a radical inguinal orchiectomy. ...
Who gets testicular cancer?
In the United States this year, about 6,900 new cases of testicular cancer will be diagnosed. The disease most commonly occurs in men between the ages of 25 and 35, although it can happen at any age. White men are more likely to get testicular cancer than black men are. In the last 40 years, testicular cancer risk has increased for white men but has stayed the same for black men in America. The United Kingdom and Scandinavia have the highest risk of getting testicular cancer. African and Asian men have the lowest risk. ...
Do I have testicular cancer?
We are talking to men who have testicular cancer, as well as men who do not have testicular cancer. Your participation in the STEED Study may help us figure out why some men get testicular cancer, while other men don't get testicular cancer.
Source: steed.cancer.gov
Does testicular cancer follow a hereditary pattern?
Yes testicular cancer seems to follow a familial pattern in some cases. If your father had the disease, the chances of you getting the cancer is 3-4 times more than a person with no family history.
Source: www.medindia.net
How does a person self examine for testicular cancer?
Men in the age group of 25-45 years must periodically check their testicles after a warm water bath. On examining a testicle if they find a lump they must check the other testicle too. If the lump is found in both the testicles then there may be no cause to worry. But if the lump is located in one testicle alone, it is better to consult a doctor.
Source: www.medindia.net
Does the diet affect the risk of testicular cancer?
There is no evidence that diet affects the risk of getting testicular cancer.
Source: salong.blogspot.com
Is there an increased risk of prostate or testicular cancer because I had a vasectomy?
In the early 1990’s a concern was raised that men who had a vasectomy were at greater risk for getting prostate cancer, a disease that will affect 1 out of 6 American men. This concern sparked great interest and research that concluded that vasectomy is not a risk factor for prostate or testicular cancer or any other disease.
Source: www.vasectomydoc.com
What causes testicular cancer? Is there anything I can do to reduce the risk of developing it?
We are still investigating the causes of testicular cancer and do not know of any treatments that could prevent it. The most important thing is to check your testicles regularly to detect any changes in their shape or size. The most significant risk factor is undescended testis at birth with 10% of patients having a history of this condition. Testicular cancer can have a strong genetic component, with brothers, fathers or sons of testicular cancer patients having up to a 10-fold increased risk of developing the disease.
Source: www.icr.ac.uk
